Waterfoot villagers angry over rehab unit plan (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Waterfoot villagers angry over rehab unit plan
10:00am Monday 9th July 2012 in Rossendale
By Vanessa Cornall, Crime reporter
ANGRY residents are drawing up ‘battle plans’ against a proposed drug rehabilitation centre in Waterfoot.
Members of Waterfoot Forward are inviting residents to discuss their issues and demand answers from Rossendale Council at a public meeting tomorrow night.
Concerns have been mounting since plans were first announced three weeks ago to home drug addicts in the centre of the village.
If planning permission is approved, East Lancashire charity Inspire will open an abstinence unit, with space for six recovered substance abusers in Bacup Road next month.
Villagers are ‘annoyed’ they have not been consulted more about the move.
Chris Smith, a member of Waterfoot Forward, said: “The whole village is seething at the way these plans have been swept underneath the carpet.
“We are expecting around 100 people at the meeting, which will hopefully enable us to form a battle plan. A lot of people have invested time and money in to Waterfoot and we are concerned about the type of people a centre like this will attract now and in the future.
“We want as many people as possible to attend the meeting and show the council, if they attend, just how strong our strength of feeling is.”
A planning application has been submitted to Rossendale Council to transform the old Glen Valley guest house into the new unit.
The centre will be under constant supervision by a 24-hour caretaker, alongside other full-time support workers and a manager.
Waterfoot Forward have also invited representatives from Inspire and Rossendale Council to the meeting, which starts at 7.30pm at Waterfoot Social Club, in Ashworth Street.
Comments(3)
Carlyj55
says...
11:46am Tue 10 Jul 12
What if one of your loved ones or you needed some kind of help and you were shunned by locals lack of support.
Disgusting attitude!!
her from here
says...
1:53pm Tue 10 Jul 12
spendmymoneywisely wrote:Well said .
I understand that it is intended for local people who are FORMER drug or alcohol abusers & that they won't be allowed visitors also they will be thrown out immediately if they lapse into their old ways. If we could be 100% certain on all those points then perhaps it is our duty to help re-establish these Rossendalians into normal society. I am. however, concerned about whether the strict criteria outlined above will be 'policed' by anyone outside of Inspire & feel that the establishment needs to be overseen by an independent body possibly incorporating some local Waterfoot residents. My questions would be whether Inspire conducted any research/ consultation in the area before purchasing Glen Valley?. If not then either they must believe that it is a 'done deal' with planners or they have money to waste on buying a property which they may not be able to use. Both of those scenarios make me doubt the efficiency (but not the good intentions) of Inspire.
The worry is that this seemed to be a done deal
spendmymoneywisely says...
7:49pm Mon 9 Jul 12